Sew & Stitch: Review and Giveaway!

Hi all! Today I'm super-excited to be reviewing Sew & Stitch Embroidery: 20+ Simple Sewing Projects with 30+ Fresh Embroidery Designs. Alyssa Thomas, the author and creator behind Penguin & Fish sent us the book to review - and we will also be doing a giveaway later in this post!

But first, let's have a look at this book - as the title suggests, this book is a blend of sewing and embroidery. If you're like me and not big on sewing, no worries! Many projects are suitable for beginners. The style throughout the book is cute, whimsical, and beginner-friendly.

The book is divided into 4 sections: Section 1- Embroidery Essentials features the tools and materials you'll need, a well-illustrated stitch library and intro to basic sewing techniques. Section 2 - For The Home, has patterns for embellishing household objects and wall art. Section 3 - Just For Fun has sweet, kid-friendly items. Section 4 - Personal Style features embellished clothing, cases, and clutches. The last pages of the book are dedicated to stitch and color guides, and there is a large, fold-out sheet of iron-on transfers with some of the embroidery patterns.

Each project is well-laid out with a list of supplies and helpful suggestions on materials and techniques. The sewing instructions look very clear and non-intimidating to a non-sewer like myself. Um, is sewer a word - I mean other than the other sense? Well, you know what I mean. :)

I fell in love with the owl pillow instantly:

It absolutely possessed me and I knocked out not one but 2 pillows in the past 48 hours! My first pillow was a bust, but it was my fault because I chose a terrible, stretchy material and didn't read the directions - Alyssa suggests using a Chenille needle to stitch with yarn and to stitch on linen.

After reading the directions, my second try on linen was much much better!

My only caveat with the book is the way the embroidery patterns are distributed - sometimes they are with the content, sometimes you must flip to the back of the book. Color and stitch guides are also separate and at times quite small, so I had to flip between 3 different sections to complete the owl project. On the plus side, most of the smaller embroidery patterns are contained in the iron-on transfer sheet, which is very helpful.

Here are a few more of my favorite projects from the book:

Whale Shower Curtain

Octopus Quilt and Pillow Sham

Lion and Elephant Racing Sacks

Kitty Sketchbook Cover with Pencil Case

Feather Fold Over Clutch

Overall, this is a great book, and definitely one I'd be happy to add to my library. The patterns are simple but adorable and very inspiring, and there is plenty of room to make a project your own. And now for the best part - the giveaway! Alyssa has kindly offered us another copy to give to one of our Feeling Stitchy readers!

To win a copy of Sew & Stitch Embroidery, leave a comment on this post by Monday, October 14, 9 PM US Central Time. All of our readers may enter, including our International readers! Tell us simply which of the projects pictured is your favorite.

Thanks Alyssa, for the chance to share your wonderful book with our readers!